1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the fields of advertising and packaging. More particularly, the invention pertains to packaging including audio messages.
2. Description of Related Art
Carry-out or delivery pizza is a popular consumer food product and is often served at parties or small gatherings. Carry-out or delivery pizza is also especially popular in association with particular events, such as birthdays and sporting events, especially the Super Bowl® football game each year.
Carry-out or delivery pizza is conventionally transported in a pizza box. Pizza boxes are conventionally made of corrugated cardboard. Although numerous different designs are known in the art, FIG. 1 shows a common basic conventional pizza box 10 prior to being folded. Dashed lines represent fold lines to form a folded pizza box. Two side flaps 14 and a front flap 16 extend from the lid 12. The lid 12 is separated from the bottom 18 by a back wall 17. Two side walls 20 and a front wall, which is formed by an inner front wall 22 and an outer front wall 24 when the pizza box is folded, extend from the bottom 18. Tabs 28 on the back ends of the side walls 20 insert in front of the back wall 17 and tabs 26 on the front ends of the side walls 20 insert between the front walls 22, 24 in forming the folded pizza box.
FIG. 2 shows the pizza box 10 of FIG. 1 in a folded, opened state with the lid open. FIG. 3 shows the pizza box 10 in a folded, closed state with the lid closed. In addition to the basic features shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, pizza boxes may have additional holes, flaps, or tabs to make the pizza box sturdier, easier to open or close, or better at housing the pizza during transportation of the pizza from the pizza restaurant to the home of the consumer.
Pizza boxes are also often conventionally used to display advertisements directed to the consumer of the pizza, either by directly printing the advertisement on the box, or by attaching a paper flyer advertisement to the box. Often, this advertising is ignored, with the message not getting to the pizza purchaser or consumer.
Greeting card music modules are conventionally placed in greeting cards to output recorded audio when the greeting card is open. The recorded audio is conventionally prerecorded and conventionally includes music or part of a song, although recordable greeting cards are also available such that the buyer can record their own audio message on the music module prior to giving the greeting card to the intended recipient.
FIG. 4 shows schematically a prior art pre-recorded greeting card music module 30. The module 30 includes a backing 32, a microchip board 34 mounted on the backing 32, at least one power source 36, wiring 38, a speaker 40, and an activation mechanism 42. The power source 36 is preferably one or more button batteries. The power source 36 provides power to the microchip board 34 and to the speaker 40 by way of the wiring 38. The activation mechanism 42 in FIG. 4 is mechanical. The activation mechanism 42 includes a tab, which, when pulled away from the microchip board 34, allows the electrical circuit to be closed, thereby activating the audio recorded on the microchip board 34 to be outputted by the speaker 40.
FIG. 5 shows schematically a prior art recordable greeting card audio module 50. In addition to the elements of a pre-recorded greeting card music module, the recordable greeting card audio module 50 also includes a microphone 52, at least one record button 54, a replay button 56, and a key 58. To record audio on the audio module, the user first removes the key 58, which is typically made of clear plastic and inserted under a latch or one of the batteries, to begin. The user then presses and holds down the record button 54 and any produced audio is received by the microphone 52 and recorded on the microchip of the microchip board 34. The recordable greeting card audio module 50 has two record buttons 54, which must be simultaneously pressed to begin recording, although the recordable greeting card audio module 50 may alternatively only have a single record button. In some designs, the recordable greeting card audio module includes a visual or auditory signal indicating when the maximum recording time has been reached. The user may then replay the audio recording by activating a replay button 58, when present, or by engaging the activation mechanism 42. The activation mechanism 42 in FIG. 5 is mechanical. Additional wiring 38 provides electrical communication between the microphone 52, the record buttons 54, the replay button 56, and the other electronics of the device.
FIG. 6 shows a prior art light-activated greeting card music module 60. Instead of a mechanical activation mechanism, the module 60 is activated when the light sensor 62 attached to the microchip board 34 is exposed to light. The light sensor conducts electricity only when exposed to sufficient light, which allows the electrical circuit to be closed, thereby activating the audio recorded on the microchip to be outputted by the speaker 40.